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Digital Media Ignites Desktop PC Demand

TechWeb reports that consumers unable to ignore the lure of getting more for less money have caused a resurgence in PC desktop sales, pushing annual growth rates for the last five months in the low double digits.

Despite the hotter notebook market, people have continued to buy desktops, as prices have fallen for computers that offer more horsepower, larger hard drives, more memory and overall better value than a year ago, Current Analysis said. Year-to-year growth rates for U.S. retail PC sales have ranged between 10 percent and 20 percent each month from November 2005 to March 2006.

"This unforeseen resurgence of a category pronounced dead back in 2004 is attributable to several factors, but value and digital media attributes lead the pack," said Toni Duboise, analyst and author of the report said. Desktops built for digital media, whether audio, photo or video, have posted annual growth rates during the five-month period of 75 percent for computers in the $400 to $499 range, and 88 percent for those priced from $700 to $799.

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